Omega by Kassanna

her. Colin climbed the porch steps and wrapped his arms around her. “Sorry, did we wake you?”
    “No, umm, what’s going on?” She rubbed her eyes and peered past his shoulder. Motorcycles, big trucks, and a few all-terrain vehicles were parked throughout the yard.
    “My friends and I were having a disagreement.” He led her to the edge of the stairs. “Robbie, this is Percel.” He motioned at a huge man, well over six feet tall with a barrel chest. His red-tipped hair was slicked back.
    “Ma’am.” Percel nodded. “Maybe you can talk some sense into your hardheaded wolf.”
    “About?” She darted her gaze between Colin and Percel.
    Colin pressed his lips together.
    “The Pack Challenge,” Percel responded. “If he acts now, he has surprise on his side. There is no way in hell that Ian knows just how many friends Colin has in the shifter world. Hell, Gunter here…” He stabbed the air with his index finger at a hard-looking man on a motorcycle. “He was passing through Betaille on a job and when he heard about Colin’s situation, he joined our little caravan. Do you have any idea how hard it is to get a hyena to commit to a free mission? I mean a dog is a dog but you usually end up paying out the ass for the African ones.”
    A low growl escaped the biker.
    “Shut up, Percel,” Colin grumbled.
    Robbie waved at the biker and he nodded. “So how did you hear about Colin’s dilemma?” She had no clue what was going on. It was a little surreal. She didn’t know hyena shifters existed but she would play it by ear until she had a grasp on the situation.
    “Sint sent me. Said Collin was too stubborn to ask for help for himself. So I gathered some kin and a few friends. Here we are.” Percel shrugged.
    “Matos was supposed to come back.” Colin exhaled. “He was to stand in as my witness to the challenge.”
    “That cat is escorting Sint to Texas, but I brought Gunter and he is a fucking hyena. Seriously, who wants to fight a foreign dog like that?”
    The guy on the motorcycle snarled.
    “I meant that only in the best of terms my friend.” Percel nodded his head quickly.
    “Still, I don’t fight my father until the day after tomorrow,” Colin added drily. “I appreciate you joining our cause, Gunter, even if this asshole of a pig doesn’t know how to show his appreciation appropriately.”
    “You helped us when no one else would, Colin. We Afrikaans support our friends.” Gunter’s accent was musical in its tone.
    She was surrounded by animals, and never felt safer. “So what is a Pack Challenge?”
    “A fight to the death for the position of pack Alpha,” Percel answered.
    Colin wiped a palm down his face. “Thanks a lot, idiot.”
    “What?” Percel glanced around.
    “What the fuck does he mean a fight to the death?” She rounded on Colin.
    “Oh, she didn’t know…” Percel took a wide step back.
    “This is why I usually talk to Sint.” Colin sighed.
    “Colin, explain to me, what the hell are they talking about?” Robbie’s heart hammered . She couldn’t lose him. What if something went wrong? He kept her grounded through all the bullshit.
    “Baby, we are animals and we solve our disputes as beasts. It is our way.” He lifted her hand to his lips. “I issued Ian a challenge, and now I am following through.”
    “But, we are supposed to leave, run away…” She searched her mind for any argument that might win him over.
    Colin looked back at the men surrounding him. “Give us a few minutes.”
    “I am not going anywhere without you.” She crossed her arms under her bust.
    The men dispersed; she watched in amazement as they melded into the surrounding woods. If not for the vehicles parked around the yard, she might have considered the idea she was dreaming. There was literally no other sign of them.
    Colin sat down on the top step and tugged her down between his legs. He enfolded his arms around her shoulders. “I know we were supposed to leave together but I told